WASHINGTON (September 16, 2010)— As the U.S. Senate prepares to hold a
hearing on human embryonic stem cell research (hESCR), a new public opinion poll
shows that a plurality of Americans (47 percent) oppose federal funding of stem
cell research that involves destroying human embryos, while only thirty-eight
percent (38 percent) support such funding. The poll, conducted by ICR /
International Communications Research, surveyed 1,006 adults September 8-14. It
was commissioned by the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities at the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Survey respondents
were informed that stem cells can also be obtained from adults, placentas from
live births and other ways that do no harm to the donor, and that scientists
disagree on whether stem cells from embryos or from such alternative sources may
end up being most successful in treating diseases. Fifty-seven percent (57
percent) favor funding only the research avenues that do not harm the donor,
while only twenty-one percent (21 percent) favored funding all stem cell
research, including research that involves killing embryonic human
beings.

“The Senate should not be misled on this important
issue,” said Richard M. Doerflinger, Associate Director of the USCCB’s
Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities. “Most Americans do not support federally
funded research that requires destroying human embryos. They want their tax
dollars used for stem cell research that is ethically sound as well as medically
promising – the kind of research that has attracted the interest and commitment
of more and more stem cell experts in recent years.”

The new
poll also shows continued overwhelming opposition to human cloning, whether to
provide children for infertile couples (83 percent against) or to produce
embryos that would be destroyed in medical research (76 percent
against).

A comparison with three identical polls conducted
by ICR in August
2004, May
2005, and May
2006 shows a consistent level of moral concern on this issue on the part of
the American public. Federally funded hESCR has never garnered majority support
in this poll, starting at a high of 43 percent over six years ago in August
2004. When informed of their options, most Americans consistently support
funding only stem cell research that does not require
destroying embryos. The ICR polls also consistently show opposition of 76
percent or higher to human cloning, whether for reproduction or medical
research.

The survey was conducted September 8-14, 2010,
among a random national sample of 1,006 adults ages 18 and older. Sampling, data
collection and tabulation were provided by ICR / International Communications
Research of Media, Pa. The four poll questions, results and methodology
follow.

Stem cells are the basic cells from which all of a person's tissues and
organs develop. Congress is considering the question of federal funding for
experiments using stem cells from human embryos. The live embryos would be
destroyed in their first week of development to obtain these cells. Do you
support or oppose using your federal tax dollars for such experiments?

SupportOppose
Don't KnowRefused

38247811531

38%47%11%3%

SC-2.

Stem cells for research can be obtained by destroying human embryos. They can
also be obtained from adults, from placentas left over from live births, and in
other ways that do no harm to the donor. Scientists disagree on which source may
end up being most successful in treating diseases. How would you prefer your tax
dollars to be used this year for stem cell research?

Supporting all methods, including those that require destroying human
embryos, to see which will be most successful

208

21%

Supporting research using adult stem cellsand other alternatives, to see
if there isno need to destroy human embryos for research

576

57%

(VOLUNTEERED) Neither
Don't
Know
Refused

8810529

9%10%3%

SC-3.

Should scientists be allowed to use human cloning to try to create children
for infertile couples?

YesNo
Don't KnowRefused

888395920

9%83%6%2%

SC-4.

Should scientists be allowed to use human cloning to create a supply of human
embryos to be destroyed in medical research?

YesNo
Don't KnowRefused

1257679123

12%76%9%2%

The survey was conducted September 8 - 14, 2010, among a random national
sample of 1,006 adults ages 18 and older. Respondents were selected using an
address-based random sample design. Households for which a phone number could be
ascertained were contacted by phone; others were contacted by mail and asked to
complete the survey via a toll-free inbound phone number or the internet.
Results for the full sample have a 3.07-point error margin. Sampling, data
collection and tabulation by ICR / International Communications Research of
Media, Pa.

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